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Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Review: Physicians Formula

I have a feeling that Physicians Formula is like the first friend you make at a new job or school; in a couple months you'll both have found your niche and gone your separate ways. You'll say hi in the halls and have the occasional chat by the water cooler. But at first, when you know no one, she's the person you sit with in first period, talk about your boss with, or call when you don't understand the assignment. She might not be the perfect fit for you, but then again, no one wants to eat lunch alone.

Physicians Formula has a lot going for it; it's relatively affordable, it's accessible at most pharmacies (no toiling online) and it's got a pretty good rep. It's a good 'starter' line when you're making the change to safer cosmetics.That being said, the products are hit or miss based on performance, and the 'clean factor' is also at varying degrees. Their 'Organic Wear' line is pretty clean, but the other lines do have some no-no ingredients in them. Here's what I've tried:

Glam Factor: Not bad – pretty sheer, but balances color on the face. Smells good too.

Clean Factor: It gets a 3 on the Skin Deep website. It contains Aluminum Hydroxide which receives a 4 on Skin Deep. It does contain talc. There's controversy over the safety of talc, but the book No More Dirty Looks rates talc’s risk factor as ‘medium’ and suggests it's a possible lung irritant and carcinogen. Link to product on Skin Deep.

Glam Factor: Good. This is a useful 2-in-1; yellow for under the eyes and concealer for blemishes. Has a nice, thick consistency and covers well. Only issue? Seems to only come in 'light' color- with my medium olive skin, it's a little light. But it works well. Needs more shades for different skin tones.

Clean Factor: Bad. Gets a 5 on Skin Deep. Contains PEG, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben and Butylparaben - all of which are on the No More Dirty Looks Ingredient Blacklist.

Price Factor: Great. $7.65.

Would buy again:Probably not; it's not clean enough for my comfort. But I'd be tempted.

Glam Factor: Good in the final product, but messy (for me) in the application. This was my first attempt at loose powder instead of pressed, and I find it gets everywhere. But this product does provides a polished look, in fact more ‘made up’ than I’m used to but that may be due to the loose vs. pressed factor.

Clean Factor: Pretty good. It gets a 3 on the Skin Deep website, although all the ingredients rate 0-2 so I'm not sure why it got a 3.

Price Factor: Pretty good. $13.95.

Would buy again:Probably not because I find the application somewhat messy.

Glam Factor: Low: I got this in the color ‘blushing’, which looked quite pigmented, but it comes off sheer. I have medium olive skin, so if your skin is very fair or if you like an extremely natural look, this might be for you. But it pretty much did nothing.

Clean Factor: Not very good. Number 4 on Skin Deep, due to a couple ingredients listed later on the list.

Glam Factor: Pretty low. Similar problem to the blush; looked pigmented in the container but is actually sheer. I chose the Light to Natural shade because the medium shade looked too dark, but probably should have gone with medium.

Glam Factor: Pretty good. Works fine, as you’d expect for a pencil liner.

Clean Factor: Couldn’t find this product on Skin Deep so it’s probably pretty new. Looked up the ingredients and they all were fine, or had no data on them (hm). Of concern was Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide which rates 4-6 based on usage. That being said it was in the 'may contain' section (what is that?) and was the last ingredient.Price Factor: Good. $7.95Would buy again:Not sure – maybe. This is a ‘take it or leave it’ kind of product, a basic that is good to have but nothing outstanding. It works. If I don’t find something else that knocks my socks off, I’d buy it again. Ingredients:SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL *, BEESWAX *, BIS-DIGLYCERYL POLYACYLADIPATE -2, CAPRYLIC / CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, COPERNICIA CERIFERA (CARNAUBA) WAX*, SQUALANE, MICA, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) FRUIT OIL *, GLYCINE SOJA (SOYBEAN) OIL *, TOCOPHEROL, MAY CONTAIN: IRON OXIDES, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, FERRIC AMMONIUM FERROCYANIDE. *PRODUCED FROM ORGANIC FARMING.

Glam Factor: Quite good. I used to use Maybelline Volum'Express and this has a similar volume and effect. It holds all day. My only gripe, and I've read this review elsewhere is that it does smudge a little by the end of the day, but I'd recommend it anyway. Clean Factor: Couldn't find this on Skin Deep. I looked up each ingredient and all received 0-2 or 'no-data', except for Magnesium Aluminum Silicate and Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment which both received 4.

Price Factor: Good. Better than most natural mascaras. $9.95.Would buy again:Definitely, unless I find something similar in the same price range that doesn't smudge.